Master Pokemon mk2 - Electric Mewgaloo
by Saphroneth
Summary: Ash Ketchum has a secret he doesn't even know - that he is the Chosen One, personally created by Arceus to ensure the world survives its coming trials. That would explain why he's a Mew, though. Alternate titles: The Mew-Sical; Arceus Wanted A Nap; A Mew Beginning
1. Chapter 1

The wind whistled in the dark, cold night of a Sinnoh winter.

Inside halls forged with a single word at the Creation, Arceus – the Original One – strode to the window.

He frowned, and with a flash activated his Icicle Plate. The effect of the temperature dropped to nothing, and he nodded.

 **Celebi,** he called, his voice like pure thought imposing itself on the world.

Celebi materialized with a backflip. _Here!  
_  
 **It is good to see you,** Arceus said calmly. **I have some questions for you.  
**  
 _Of course, Lord,_ Celebi agreed. _Ask and I will answer.  
_  
 **I am tired, Celebi,** Arceus said. **I wish to rest, to regain my strength. But I ask – is that safe? Will my world be all right without me?  
**  
Celebi frowned. She gestured, and shimmering patterns of light played across her face.

 _...ah,_ she said. _Not so much, no.  
_  
 **Why not?** Arceus asked. **What have I done wrong?  
**  
 _Nothing, really,_ Celebi said with a shrug. _Humans do it – they create an empowered clone of Mew, Mewtwo. It destroys the world in vengeance for the torture of its creation, leaving only a small population of similar clones.  
_  
Arceus sighed. **Such is the nature of intelligence, I suppose.  
**  
He shifted. **So. I will destroy this Mew-two, and then slumber.  
**  
 _Still nope,_ Celebi said. _Someone interferes with the climate point near Shamouti Sound, and the world gets destroyed by the Beast of the Sea.  
_  
Another, longer, sigh. **Then I will wait until then, and suppress the waters myself. Will I then be able to rest?  
**  
Celebi looked uncomfortable.

 **What now?  
**  
 _The Unown,_ Celebi said, holding her hands up and showing a shimmering window of light in mid-air.

Arceus looked, and beheld a world choked by opalescent crystal.

 **...by now I'm starting to get the hang of this,** he said. **If I smite this concentration of power?  
**  
 _Apparently if you do that... one of the younger of my own kind is captured by an evil Pokémon trainer,_ Celebi summarized. _And-  
_  
 **And he either becomes ruler of the world or causes a time paradox,** Arceus cut her off. **I see.  
**  
Arceus mulled that over.

 **If I pass Judgement on the trainer, what then?  
**  
 _Well..._ Celebi fidgeted. _A giant fake Groudon devours the world. Then, if you handle that one too, it's kind of a race between the death of Rayquaza or Groudon and Kyogre destroying the world.  
_  
 **How fragile** _ **is**_ **my world?** Arceus asked, glancing out at the snowstorm.

 _I think it's just a run of bad luck?_ Celebi suggested weakly. _Anyway, after_ that _Dialga or Palkia dies – not sure which one-  
_  
 **I have heard enough,** the Creator pronounced. **This cavalcade of disaster will make it impossible for... me...  
**  
He stopped.

 **Must I be the one to stop them?  
**  
 _Well, kind of?_ Celebi hedged. _You or some other outside element.  
_  
Arceus nodded. **I see.**

His Icicle Plate rematerialized, joined by the others, and they all swirled together – forming a great pattern, a wheel with seventeen spokes.

Golden light streamed from Arceus' ring of burnished metal, and then spread to his whole body.

 **Let it be so!** he incanted, and a brilliant flash shone through the Hall of Origin and made the snowflakes outside glitter like stars.

 _Ow!_ the Time-Travel Pokémon yelped.

* * *

A few minutes later, Celebi could see again.

She floated slowly downwards, looking at the result of Arceus' work.

 _A Mew?_ she asked, tilting her head and surveying the sleeping form – resting on a small basket.

 **From what you have told me, Celebi, any proxy for my own involvement must be as powerful as I can make him,** Arceus explained. **And not merely powerful, but versatile – gifted, like myself, with the ability to use the powers of any Type.  
**  
He nodded towards the baby Mew. **Celebi. Take this young Pokémon, and ensure that he is brought up as befits his role.  
**  
 _What about you?_ Celebi asked, already floating lower.

 **I am completely exhausted,** Arceus explained. **I really need that sleep I've been after. Wake me** _ **only**_ **if the world is about to be destroyed.  
**  
With that, Arceus seemed to grow... indistinct.

He vanished in a swirl of light, taking his Plates with him, and the air was still.

After a moment, Celebi picked up the bundle, and cast out with her time-sense.

 _Where should you go..._ she thought, not projecting it to avoid waking the baby.

 _Aha!  
_

* * *

Delia Ketchum looked up from her book. "Who's there?"

No reply, just another knock.

Frowning, Delia shrugged on a dressing gown – it was cold, this late in the year – and headed to the door.

"Hello?" she asked, opening it – then blinked, as a flash dazzled her vision for a moment.

When it faded, there was... a basket on the doorstep.

Delia did a double-take. "What? Really... I mean, does this actually _happen?_ "

After a moment longer in the crisp night air, she gave a mental sigh and bent down.

It was too late to take whoever or whatever was in the basket to the Jennys, so-

Delia froze.

The little pink form she'd revealed in the blankets shivered, then curled up and tugged the blanket firmly back over itself.

Her heart melted.

"Okay, you win," she said, into the night. "That's just too adorable."

* * *

Hidden in the bushes, Celebi smiled to herself. _Bingo._

* * *

"Now, remember, dear," Delia said, with gentle persistence. "You need to make sure you pretend you're either a normal human boy or a single specific Pokémon when you're outside – okay?"

The Mew nodded, tail flirting.

"And why's that?" Delia pressed on.

 _It's because-  
_  
"Out loud please," his foster parent interrupted.

"It's because I'm special, but people might not like that," Ash said, dutifully. "And... and because people might be after me and try to get at me because of that."

Delia nodded. "That's right. Now, can you show me your human disguise?"

Frowning, the Mew stuck his tongue out and concentrated – and with a _pop,_ a human boy sat on the sofa.

Upside down, just like Ash had been floating.

 _Ow...  
_  
Chuckling, Delia helped him upright. "There we go."

* * *

"Ash Ketchum!"

Ash sighed, a squeaky sound. "But mooom..."

"No, Ash, we've talked about this!" Delia said, unmoved. "What do we not do outdoors?"

Ash looked down, and descended a few inches. "We don't levitate outdoors."

"That's right," Delia said, somewhat mollified. "Now, let's go and see Professor Oak."

"Can I-"

"You can talk to his Pokémon, but only if he's not got any visitors," Delia told him.

Ash pouted.

"Come on, Ash," Delia said, smiling. "Remember, if you're good you get to practice transforming in the afternoon."

"Great!" the actually-a-Pokémon said, perking up. "Come on, race you there!"

Delia silently gave thanks that she'd been able to keep up with her adopted son thus far.

At least when Professor Oak went through his picture albums, getting Ash to transform into everything in them, it kept him busy for a while...

* * *

The chirping of Kricketot hummed in the warm night air.

Ash waited until he was double-sure his mother was asleep, then stirred in his bed. Reaching up to the window, he eased the catch open and pushed it gently ajar.

With a flicker of light, he shed his human guise. A bit of extra thought, and he changed shape into a Hoothoot.

That done, he flapped out of the window into the night.

A couple of Pidgeotto were banking smoothly overhead, apparently going somewhere because hunting at night was hard for a day-time Flying-type.

Ash ghosted up to join them, revelling in how much sheer _freedom_ there was flying around like this.

Sure, he was going to become a Pokémon trainer tomorrow – which was the best joke _ever_ – but who needed eight hours of sleep?

* * *

"What is your problem?" Ash asked, frustrated.

Pikachu turned his nose away, and blasted Ash with a Thundershock again.

"That doesn't tell me anything!" the new trainer said. "I mean, sure, I'm kind of upset I didn't get the Pokémon I was after, but I'm trying to work with you!"

 _"I couldn't work with you,"_ Pikachu muttered. _"Just let me go and I'll be on my way."_

"Why can't you?" Ash asked. "I mean, I get you don't like the Pokéball, but we can just not use it..."

 _"It's not just that, it's that you're-"_ Pikachu stopped, and blinked. _"Wait, did you just..."  
_  
"What?" Ash asked, glancing down at his shoelaces. "Is my shoelace untied?"

 _"No, I just... did you just understand me?"  
_  
"Well, yeah, that's why I replied," Ash explained simply.

Pikachu stood there for a moment, then twitched his ear irritably. _"It doesn't matter! I won't work for a human. Period."  
_  
"Is that your only problem?" Ash demanded.

 _"Yeah!"_ Pikachu replied.

There was a _pop_.

Pikachu blinked. _"...wait, where'd you-"_

"Is this better?"

asked a Pikachu wearing a hat.

The Electric-type stared.

 _"No?"_ the other Pikachu asked. _"What about a Charmander?"  
_  
Pop.

 _"Or, uh... an Electabuzz?"  
_  
Pop.

 _"Seriously, can you tell me? I'm kind of guessing here..."  
_  
Pikachu shook his head wildly, eyes closing. _"I must be dreaming. Maybe if I close my eyes he'll go back to normal."  
_  
Pop.

Pikachu opened his eyes.

 _Well, this is normal,_ said a Mew in a hat. _But I kind of think it might not be what you mean...  
_  
This time, Pikachu passed out from sheer astonishment.

* * *

Ash poked Pikachu's unconscious form. _Uh... what do I do now?_

* * *

"What now?" Ash asked, panting.

 _"How should I know?"_ Pikachu asked, cradled in his arms. _"You're the Legendary Pokémon!"  
_  
"Yeah, but I'm still new at this!" Ash replied. "Uh – can you Thundershock them?"

Pikachu duly Thundershocked some of the Spearow. He also got Ash, who coughed and stumbled before going back to full speed.

"I don't think that got enough of them!"

 _"I could try harder?"_ Pikachu suggested. _"Can't_ you _do anything?"  
_  
"...actually, yeah," Ash admitted.

He turned right, heading for a small cliff, and jumped.

Half a second later, he _pop_ ped into a Mew.

A quarter of a second after that, both he and Pikachu vanished, along with Ash's bag and hat.

* * *

The two of them materialized in mid-air.

 _"Look out!"_ Pikachu called, pointing down.

Ash looked, turned pale pink, and had just enough time to shift back to human before both of them landed on a girl and her bike.

A few complicated second later, they all had several new bruises, and the bike's wheel was badly bent.

"What on earth was that for?" the girl demanded, struggling off her totalled bike. "What were you thinking?"

"Uh... well, I was mainly thinking I should get away from the Spearow," Ash admitted.

The girl looked confused. "What Spearow?"

"...they're kind of a long way away," Ash admitted. "About a mile... uh... that way."

"Yeah, right..." the former-bike rider said, then glanced down at her bike. "Oh, no! This is totalled!"

She rounded on him. "You're going to need to pay for this!"

"Uh..." Ash looked at the bike, then at Pikachu – who shrugged. "I guess I could... but I've not got much money..."

"Then I'll follow you until you pay me back," the girl said, as if it was decided.

There was a flash, and one of Ash's scattered Pokéballs opened.

 _"My whole flock are morons,"_ said the Spearow who emerged, shaking his head. _"You did tell them we were friends, right?"  
_  
"Twice," Ash agreed. "You heard me, right?"

 _"Yeah."_ Spearow sighed. _"Oh, well... I guess they'll work it out one of these days."_

He looked up at the girl. _"Who's this?"  
_  
"What's your name?" Ash asked, as Spearow hopped up to rest on his forearm.

"Misty," she replied. "Misty of Cerulean City."

"Neat," Ash said, as Pikachu came walking slowly over as well. "Uh... where were you headed?"

"Viridian City," Misty said. "And now I'm not going to make it before that storm hits."

Ash looked over. "Oh, okay – I guess I could-"

 _"Ash!"_ Pikachu said urgently. _"Didn't you tell me you were supposed to keep this a_ secret? _At least a bit?"  
_  
"Oh, yeah, good point..."

Misty frowned, then shrugged it off.

"Should we get going?" Ash asked. "I mean, I'm pretty sure we can get there by dark even if we walk..."

* * *

"This is your fault," Misty muttered some hours later, wringing out her socks as the rain finally ended.

"Didn't you say you were a Water-type trainer?" Ash asked.

"Doesn't mean my clothes are all waterproof..."

Spearow flared his wings, coming down to hover. _"Not much further to go."  
_  
"Good," Ash said. "I'm kinda soaked..."

 _"Imagine how I feel, I've got fur,"_ Pikachu said, waving his tail to shake water off.

 _"Well, technically, so does-"_ Spearow began, then stopped. _"Oh... wow..."  
_  
Ash followed his gaze, and saw a majestic rainbow-winged shape flying through a break in the clouds.

"Is that..." Misty shaded her eyes, voice soft. "Is that a Ho-Oh? They're really rare – and Legendary, too."

"I'll go say hi!" Ash decided.

 _"Wait-"_ Pikachu began, but by that point his trainer had transformed into a Spearow and set off into the sky.

Misty stared. "But... how?"

* * *

 _"Hi!"  
_  
Ho-Oh blinked, sliding sideways slightly in the air, and gave his great wings a slow flap. _"Who said that?"_

"I did!"

The Fire-type's eyes nearly crossed as he tried to focus on the Spearow flying just above his beak.

 _"...do I know you?"_ he asked, tilting his head.

 _"Well, no, but I thought I'd just say hi!"_ the Spearow replied, doing a roll. _"It's my first time meeting another Legendary!"  
_  
Ho-Oh blinked again. _"You're a_ Spearow. _"_

"No I'm not, I just-"

the Spearow began, then stopped. _"Uh... oh, yeah, that's right. Um, I think we're high enough..."  
_  
There was a flash, and a little pink Mew was flying along in formation with Ho-Oh instead.

 _"That does make that clear, yes,"_ Ho-Oh admitted. _"I didn't know any Mew lived in this part of Kanto."_

Well, I did live here, but I'm going on my Pokémon journey!

the Mew said proudly.

Ho-Oh decided asking any more questions would just give him a headache.

* * *

"...what?" Misty asked, staring upwards.

 _"She's said that quite a few times,"_ Spearow noted. _"Do you think she's okay?"_

 _"Probably,"_ Pikachu shrugged. _"But we really need to give Ash some lessons..."  
_  
A familiar Spearow shape came flying down out of the light, and turned into Ash with a flicker. "Okay, I'm back!"

"How?" Misty asked, pointing.

"Uh... it wasn't suspicious," Ash said.

 _"Ash?"_ Pikachu asked. _"Do you realize that humans can't change shape? And that, if you want to pretend to be a human, you'll have to not change shape?"  
_  
Ash blinked. "Uh... I knew the first bit?"

 _"How you stayed hidden for five minutes, I have no idea..."_ Spearow sighed, waving a wing. _"Okay, Pikachu, we'd better make sure-"  
_  
"What are you?" Misty asked. "Are you some kind of... were-Spearow or something? And how did the clothes... but... gah!"

Ash looked worried. "I'm not sure I'm supposed to tell you..."

 _"You've given away almost all of it,"_ Pikachu muttered. _"The least you can do is explain."_

* * *

"So..."

Misty lay back on the damp grass with a sigh. "You're a _Mew_. An actual legendary Pokémon."

A pause.

"A _Mew_."

"Yeah," Ash agreed, adjusting his hat. "That's me."

There was another pause.

"How stupid are you?"

"What?" Ash asked, taken aback.

"You're supposed to be hiding, but within five minutes of meeting me you'd changed shape and talked to Pokémon! How do you think you're going to remain hidden like that?" Misty demanded. "Humans stay human, they can't talk to Pokémon, and I can't _believe_ I have to tell you this!"

"Mom said... stuff kind of like that," Ash admitted. "But it sounds _boring!_ Can't I at least _talk_ to Pokémon?"

Misty frowned. "Ergh... that could be..."

"If I can't then I'll just get _way_ too bored!" Ash reiterated. "I just want to go around Kanto, winning Gym Badges, and have fun – you know, normal trainer stuff."

"Normal trainer stuff doesn't mean changing shape!" Misty said. "Or winning the badge _personally."  
_  
"Aw..." Ash sighed.  
 _  
"You know, Pikachu,"_ Spearow said, in tones of contemplation. _"I think that this girl might be helpful to have along. She seems to have a brain."_

* * *

AN:

* * *

A fic I've started after people liked the idea on the Master, Pokémon? Thread.

This is similar in some ways to Master, Pokémon – but it's got at least two key differences.

One – Ash is not a Dark-type Zorua. He's something a bit more... powerful.

Two... he's _less_ good at hiding. Just a bit.

...oh, yeah, and he's also kind of hyper. Comes of packing a Chosen One into such a small, feline package.


	2. Chapter 2

"Report," Giovanni said, looking up from his desk.

"Yes, boss!" Meowth said, saluting.

Jessie and James saluted as well.

A moment later, Giovanni raised an eyebrow, and James began to speak.

"We went after the Viridian Pokemon Centre," he explained. "There'd been a storm, so we thought we could get some of the wild Pokemon which had been brought in because of being injured."

Giovanni nodded. "And how did it go?"

"Not too bad," Jessie said. "We cut off power to the centre, so they couldn't transfer anything out - that didn't really work, they had a lot of Pikachu in there which they used to power the transfer gear."

"We'll have to try that somewhere else," the Boss said. "It's a good plan."

All three Rockets glowed under the praise.

"But if you didn't get any of the Pokemon, what _did_ you get?"

"Dat's da thing!" Meowth said. "Sure, dey transferred out a load a' Pokemon, but all dose Pikachu were wild - so they didn't _have_ Pokeballs!"

Giovanni glanced down at his desk. "That explains why you airlifted a crate of fifty of the Electric-types into one of our hidden bases. Well, I suppose with that many Pikachu we'll _have_ to find something to do with them."

"Can't you just use one as a pet or something?" Jessie asked.

"Why would I let an uncontrolled wild Pokemon with no reason to trust me within attack range?" Giovanni frowned. "No, I think we'll keep these new acquisitions at arm's length."

He shrugged. "We _do_ , however, have a nice line in providing custom starters. And there's quite a lot of little girls and boys around Kanto and Johto who would just _love_ to have a Pikachu... not to mention one rather prominent businessman who wants a Raichu for his eldest daughter."

"So... we did good?" James checked.

"Not bad, certainly," Giovanni confirmed. "Keep it up."

He paused, long enough for the three Rockets to let out sighs of relief. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, we did see a couple of trainers leavin'," Meowth said with a frown. "Some kid with a Pikachu, and someone who looked kinda familiar... seen her on the news somewhere."

"So we waited until they were out of town," Jessie filled in.

"Hm," Giovanni said, non-committally. "Very well. You may go."

Persian let out a low growl, speeding them on their way.

* * *

"Geodude, Rock Throw!"

"Left, Spearow!" Ash called quickly.

His Flying-type did a left roll, avoiding the thrown rock by the width of a feather, and charged forwards as Geodude readied his next attack.

Beak glowing, he hammered home a Fury Attack which knocked off a few chips.

Then Geodude grabbed him and threw him at the ceiling.

"Spearow, use-" Ash began, and then a rock smacked into Spearow and knocked him out.

Wincing, the young trainer looked at his team.

Beedrill was still out of it – his stingers hadn't taken trying to damage Onix well – and Pikachu seemed kind of loopy after the second rock to the forehead.

"Right!" Ash said, taking a step forwards.

Then Misty tackled him.

"Ow!" Ash protested.

"Ash Ketchum, you'd better not be about to do what I think you're about to do!" Misty hissed. "Now just accept the loss and come back later!"

Ash drooped. "But Misty..."

"Sorry, kid," said the gym leader, Brock. "If you don't have a Pokemon able to fight, you can't continue the match."

Ash sighed, and got up as Misty released him. "Fine... return, Spearow."

Red light flashed out, and Spearow vanished back into his Pokeball.

"That wasn't bad, Ash," Brock added. "Train your Pokemon to handle type matchups, and you should be on the road to victory pretty soon!"

"Sure," Ash said, with a sigh.

* * *

"Why'd you stop me, Misty?" Ash asked, as they walked out of Pewter to get some training in.

"Because you're an idiot," Misty replied bluntly. "I bet you were about to turn into... a Floatzel, or a Feraligatr or something, and try to win the battle yourself!"

Ash looked down.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Misty pressed.

"...not quite," Ash muttered.

"Fine, then, what _were_ you going to turn into?"

"Kyogre," Ash said.

Misty did a double take. "You were - but - okay, how..."

The Water-type trainer shook her head. "Okay! From now on, you don't transform in front of anyone who isn't me, or your mom, or Professor Oak!"

"Misty..." Ash whined.

 _"Ash, she's got a point,"_ Spearow said. _"A really good point."  
_  
"I guess..." the disguised Mew agreed.

 _"So, what's the plan?"_ Beedrill asked, buzzing alongside. _"How are we going to be able to beat Brock?"  
_  
He touched the tip of one stinger. _"I'm still kind of tender..."  
_  
"Easy!" Ash said. "I'll just teach you Leaf Blade!"

For a few seconds, the only sounds were the _tramp_ of shoes and the buzz and flap of wings.

 _"Ash..."_ Pikachu began, hesitantly. _"Not all Pokemon can learn every move in the world."  
_  
"That sounds boring."

* * *

"Okay!" Ash said, sitting down with Beedrill. "Ready to learn a new move?"

 _"Sure,"_ Beedrill replied, looking slightly up at his trainer. _"What move is it?"  
_  
"Well..." Ash shrugged. "I was thinking - it'd be best if you got a Grass type move, and I know just the one! Needle Arm!"

Beedrill blinked. _"Are you... sure I can learn that?"  
_  
"Why wouldn't you be able to?" Ash asked, tilting his head slightly. "I mean... you have _needles_ for _arms_."

The Bug-type examined his arm, frowning. _"I... guess I do have needle arms, yes."  
_  
"There you are!" Ash said. "Okay, Needle Arm is... hm, maybe it'd be easiest to demonstrate."

He took a breath, paused, and looked up at Spearow. "Oh, yeah - is anyone nearby?"

Spearow did a circuit. _"No, no humans nearby."  
_  
"Great!" Ash said, enthused, and promptly turned into a Cacnea.

 _"This is still so bizarre..."_ Beedrill buzzed, gaining height slightly.

"Okay, watch this!" Ash called, and punched a tree.

 _"Right..."_

* * *

Misty panted as she climbed the hill.

She had only herself to blame, she knew. She'd insisted on their camping out of town a bit, so that Ash's sometimes-flighty sense of his need to keep to one shape didn't end up accidentally revealing his true form... so they were on the far side of a hill.

"Hey, Ash!" she called. "It's me - I'm back from the Pokemart!"

Spearow flew past, not too close, and waved before doing a wingover and diving back towards a tree. There were several scratches in it, and as she watched his wings made another long, shallow cut along the bark.

"Hi, Misty!" Ash called back, waving. "I've been teaching Beedrill a new move!"

"What new move's that?" Misty asked, getting out the move guide. "I thought you might need help, so I got out a move-learning guide..."

"Oh, I taught him Needle Arm!" Ash explained.

Misty looked up from the Beedrill page, at the Bug-type waving his left needle at her, and shuddered.

Then she looked back down at the page.

Up at Beedrill.

"How?" she asked, weakly. "The book says the only Grass-type moves a Beedrill can learn are Solarbeam, Mega Drain and Giga Drain..."

"Those sound good too, actually," Ash admitted. "But it's time to train Pikachu, so I'll do that first!"

Misty sat down on the soft grass and groaned.

"I'm probably going to try to strangle him someday..."

* * *

"What's Spearow doing, anyway?" Misty asked, carefully keeping on the other side of Ash from his Beedrill, as they walked through the woods.

"Oh, he's training Steel Wing," Ash replied. "I showed him how."

"Of course you did," Misty sighed. "What did you turn into?"

Ash looked puzzled. "Turn into? I didn't need to, I know it like I normally am."

Misty blinked. "What? But... Mew don't have... wings?"

Ash shrugged off the paradox. "Anyway - here we are!"

Misty, Beedrill and Pikachu looked down the slope at a small waterwheel.

"I don't get it," Misty admitted.

 _"Same here,"_ Beedrill buzzed.

"It's a water powered power station!" Ash explained. "I had a look inside earlier - it's got these huge cables! They're all unplugged now, but I think I could use them to charge Pikachu up!"

Misty considered that for a moment.

"Are you sure that's-"

"Come on!" Ash interrupted, scooping up Pikachu and running down the slope.

Misty glanced at Beedrill, who shrugged, and they shared a moment of silent understanding before Misty remembered he was a Bug-type.

"I'll just... follow him," she said. "You can stay out here."

The Bug-type shrugged, flipped onto his back, crossed his needles behind his head, and hovered there watching Spearow brutalize some innocent foliage.

* * *

 _"This seems unlikely to work,"_ Pikachu said, as Ash attached two large leads to the main generator.

"It'll be fine!" Ash replied with a shrug, as he fitted the final cable. "I'm almost sure you've got Lightningrod - hey, let's check!"

There was a flicker, and Ash was now a Pikachu in a hat.

Grabbing his Pokeballs as they bounced on the floor, Ash put his hat to one side and frowned. "Hmmm... that's funny."

 _"What?"_ Pikachu asked, worried.

Ash replied by sending a little burst of electricity at Pikachu, who instinctively grabbed it with Lightningrod and absorbed it.

"Thought so," Ash said. One of his ears raised, and the other drooped. "But there's something else..."

"Are you sure it's not Static?" Misty asked.

"No, I can feel that too," Ash said. "Kind of, anyway... but there's a thing here I've not really met before."

He shrugged. "Anyway - let's go!"

Jumping from floor to chair to chair-back, Ash hit the switch.

There was a creak as the reservoir opened, and then water flowed over the wheel.

Pikachu gasped as the electricity began to generate, and flowed down the cables and across into his fur before coming to rest in his cheeks. _"That feels... really strange."  
_  
Ash grinned, bouncing back to the floor. "I bet it feels great!"

 _"Actually I feel kind of... full,"_ Pikachu said, rubbing his cheeks. _"Bloated."  
_  
"Bloated?" Ash repeated.

Misty exited the building at speed.

 _"Yeah, I-"_ Pikachu broke off, frowning, and a fat spark jumped from his tail to the floor. Then another, and then one hit the light switch instead.

The lights came on, brightened and exploded in an instant.

Then one of the bolts hit Ash - still a Pikachu - and his Transformed version of Lightningrod drank it down.

"Whoa, what a buzz!" Ash said, enthusiastic, and headed towards Pikachu. "Did you feel that?"

 _"DON'T-!"_ Pikachu yelped, not quite in time.

Ash reached a close enough distance that the electricity surging through Pikachu could jump to him, and then back to Pikachu again.

The resultant feedback loop lasted for about a second, and then things got very loud and very bright.

* * *

Misty dove behind a tree, pulled up her knees, and stayed there until the noise stopped.

* * *

 _"Are you okay?"_ Spearow asked, hovering over the power station.

The walls were still there, at least. There was an unpleasant smell from the generators, but they didn't look too broken, and the waterwheel hung limply in the current.

Then something moved, pushing aside a piece of heavy roof tile.

"Ow..." Ash said, back to his natural form, and used his telekinesis to lift Pikachu out of the rubble. "I think things didn't go quite like I hoped..."

 _"What was your first clue?"_ Pikachu managed to get out.

"The explosion," Ash answered promptly. "No, maybe it was when everything got all bright..."

* * *

AN:

* * *

Moving along at speed...

First point – yes, the Rockets have done well. Please don't panic.

Secondly – without Misty, Ash would be in serious trouble by now.

And thirdly... yeah, Ash's team is a bit different.


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay, just hold on!" Ash called. "One more!"

Spearow pulled up, tail flaring, and evaded Geodude's latest rocky projectile.

Flipping forwards, he trimmed his feathers to adjust his angle of attack, and gained speed rapidly on his dive towards Geodude.

"Steel Wing!" Ash called.

"Bide!" Brock ordered.

Spearow's stiff, shimmering-silver wings hit home with a _crack_ , and Geodude bounced backwards. His rocky skin glowed red for a moment, then the glow faded - and he hit the floor with a _thud_.

"Not bad," Brock said, recalling the Rock-type. "Much better than last time - you're getting the hang of this."

Ash grinned. "Great!"

"Now - Onix!"

Spearow hovered for a moment, looking at the enormous rock snake. _"Okay, they say the bigger they come the harder they fall..."  
_  
"That's the spirit!" Ash agreed. "Steel Wing!"

Spearow's wings lit again, and he plunged forwards.

His stiff wings hit Onix, who didn't particularly seem to be affected. The big Rock-type then slammed Spearow against the side of the arena with a tail slap, and Spearow bounced off before hitting the floor with a _whap_.

Ash recalled Spearow, able to tell already the Flying-type was KOed, and looked down for a moment. "Hmmm... who else? I could send out Pikachu or Beedrill..."

"I think Beedrill's the better choice, he _does_ have that Grass move" Misty said. "Despite... you know."

"I know, he's a bug," Ash agreed.

He looked up at Onix again, then came to a decision. "Okay, I choose Pikachu!"

Misty blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Watch out, Onix," Brock said, as Pikachu came running out onto the battlefield. "He probably knows Iron Tail or Brick Break or something."

"He doesn't have any of those moves!" Misty said. "Ash, what are you thinking?"

"Well, he'll never expect it!" Ash explained. "It's simple!"

Misty was lost for words for a moment, and Ash pointed. "Okay, Pikachu - let's start this off with a Thundershock!"

Electricity crackled from Pikachu's cheeks, then lanced out and hit Onix.

The Ground-type ignored the attack.

"All right, I thought so!" Ash enthused. "Great!"

"...what on earth do you even-" Misty began to say.

"Onix, use Dig!" Brock said, and the burly Rock-type burrowed underground in a trice.

Pikachu jumped up onto one of the small rocks littering the field. _"Great... don't know where to-"  
_  
"Jump left!" Ash called.

Pikachu blinked, then jumped left - and a moment later Onix burst out of the ground to his right.

 _"How'd you - oh, right,"_ Pikachu realized, skidding to a halt and facing Onix again. _"Telepathy and stuff."  
_  
"Thunderbolt!" Ash called. "As much as you can!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked again, and then a much more powerful Electric-type attack stormed forwards.

Unlike the first one, Onix most certainly felt _this_ one. He bellowed in shock, and crashed backwards.

Brock's eyes widened.

Misty stared. "What."

"It's what I felt back at the power station!" Ash explained. "He kind of had... three abilities, I guess... and I wondered if it might be like this."

He shrugged. "So when he used Thundershock, I kept an eye on where he hit - there was a tiny little damaged bit, so it was working!"

While Ash had been speaking, Onix reared up again - a little more unsteadily.

"Rock Throw, quick!" Brock ordered.

Onix dug up a lump of the arena with his tail, flipped it into the air and thwacked it at Pikachu.

The mouse managed to dodge most of it, but was clipped on the side and spun around twice before landing.

"Pikachu, come back here!" Ash called. "You look dizzy - I'll send out Beedrill for a bit!"

 _"Sounds good..."_ Pikachu agreed, sounding slightly woozy.

As he tottered a little unsteadily towards Ash's side of the arena, Ash sent out his Bug-type.

Misty took a step back.

"He's got a Grass-type move - get in close!" Brock ordered. "Don't let him charge Solarbeam!"

Letting out a rumbling roar, Onix surged forwards.

Beedrill promptly punched him in the side with Needle Arm, sending the Rock-type crashing to the ground for a second time.

He did not get up again.

"Ash..." Misty said, slowly. "You know the first badge is supposed to indicate you understand what your Pokémon can do?"

"Sure," Ash agreed.

"I think this counts as cheating."

* * *

"Thanks for coming with us, Brock," Ash said, picking up another plate. "And especially thanks for the cooking!"

"Yeah," Misty agreed. "Ash and I were surviving on berries..."

"It wasn't that bad," Ash protested. "At least they were cooked."

"Oh, how'd you cook them?" Brock asked, interested. "I didn't see a Fire-type. Did you teach your Spearow a move it's not supposed to know, too?"

"No, I just mfffff-" Ash mumbled.

Misty took her hand off his mouth. "No, we built a campfire," she said.

"Huh, okay," Brock said, shrugging. "I guess that makes sense. Did you use matches?"

"Yeah!" Misty agreed. "But we ran out just before getting to Pewter - it was kind of a relief to reach the city..."

"Pewter's a lovely place," Brock agreed. "Hmmm, I think I saw some watercress over in the river, I'll check."

When he was gone, Misty turned to Ash. "Were you about to tell him you cooked our dinner by turning into a Litleo?"

"...yeah," Ash admitted. "Sorry, I'm still having trouble remembering - I mean, you're a friend, and Brock's a friend, and you don't hide things like that from friends."

"You're so naive it hurts," Misty muttered.

 _"Um..."_

Ash and Misty turned.

Brock's Geodude waved. _"Was I supposed to hear that?"_

"Not really," Ash admitted. "Uh... can you not tell Brock?"

 _"I couldn't do it very easily even if I tried,_ " Geodude said, and shrugged. _"But - sure. I'll keep your secret... whatever it is."_

* * *

Brock yawned, and looked up at the starry night sky.

After so long caring for his siblings, the doughty Gym Leader was having an interesting time adjusting to his new schedule.

Still, he was helping two new trainers out on their journeys. Even if in one case she was a Gym Leader herself - and an impressively young one, at that.

Shaking his head, Brock decided to stop thinking about random things. He sat up, and pulled his feet out of his sleeping bag before placing them in his shoes.

"Ooo?" Onix asked, quietly.

"No," Brock whispered, recognizing it as a question. "Just stretching my legs."

He picked up a small light and set off, walking for a few minutes into the woods around Mt. Moon to try and assure himself he didn't _have_ to be up in the middle of the night.

* * *

After a cool walk in the crisp, slightly damp air, Brock walked back to their campsite.

Stepping over the tail of his starter, he played the light across the ground between him and his sleeping bag - just to make sure he could reach the groundsheet without tripping on anything.

Yawning, he walked carefully across the dewy grass, feeling it damp on his calves and shins. A Ledyba buzzed across the clearing, stopping to inspect his light before moving on.

Brock was about to get back in his bag when habit made him check on the two younger kids he was with. Just like he'd check on Salvadore and Yolanda.

Brock's yawn turned into a frown. "What the..."

Misty was there, all right - sleeping soundly. But there was no sign of Ash - his cap lay on the grass, just next to the sleeping Pikachu, but Ash was nowhere to be seen.

Except... there was a bulge in his sleeping bag.

Frowning, Brock moved closer, and crouched down.

There was a sleepy chirrup from overhead - Spearow, shifting on his branch, by the sound of it.

Brock lifted the lip of the sleeping bag.

A yawn answered him, and two big blue eyes blinked in the moonlight.

"What is it?" asked the apparition - in Ash's voice - then it jerked. "Oh no-"

There was a flicker, and Ash was scrambling out of the sleeping bag.

"What's going on?" Misty yawned. "Ash, did you-"

"Did you just turn into a Mew?" Brock asked, incredulous.

"No, into a _human,_ " Ash corrected automatically. "I'm already a-"

"Ash!"

"...oops," Ash said, blushing. "Um... sorry, Misty, I was sleepy..."

* * *

"Okay, Pikachu, you can do this!" Ash called.

"I was hoping you weren't going to use him," Misty admitted. "Uh... okay, Starmie, go! Use Bubblebeam!"

Pikachu blasted the stream of bubbles with a Thundershock, producing a large explosion, and followed it up with a second Thundershock which scythed towards Starmie and barely missed it.

"Stay focused, Pikachu!" Ash said. "You need to - to..."

Pikachu glanced over his shoulder, then yelped as a Water Pulse slapped into the battlefield next to him and he had to hastily dodge. _"Ash, what's the problem?"_

"I wonder what it's like being a Starmie..." Ash mused. "I mean, they don't really have a skeleton, so-"

 _"Focus!"_ Pikachu demanded. _"Spearow, can you peck him on the head or something?"_

 _"I think it would be quite dangerous,"_ Spearow opined.

"Misty?" Brock asked, uncertainly.

"What?" Misty replied, looking up from watching as Starmie barraged the area including Pikachu with Water moves.

"Well... I'm kind of wondering how you got qualified as a gym leader," Brock explained.

"Well, normally _these_ idiots haven't tired out all the Pokémon!" Misty snapped.

"We are _not_ idiots!" Violet said, stung. "You take that back!"

"Want to make me?" Misty replied, pulling down one eyelid. "What are you going to use, Magikarp?"

"Oh, I've heard of Magikarp!" Ash said, looking up from his contemplation of the order _echinodermata_. "Don't they evolve into a really cool Gyarados?"

"Well, they're supposed to," Daisy told him with a shrug. "But we've never had much luck with it... the problem is, they're _rubbish_ at battling on their own."

"Okay!" Ash replied, running off into the gym.

Lily blinked. "Did... he just forfeit?"

"I don't think there's a rule that says you have to be on the battlefield," Daisy replied, with a sigh. "Just your Pokémon..."

The Pokémon in question skidded under a Bubblebeam, lashed out with a double Thundershock, and forced Starmie into the wall.

"Oh, no!" Misty said, returning her attention to the battle. "Starmie's core is flashing - that means it's almost defeated!"

 _"Great!"_ Pikachu decided, not that anyone except Spearow could understand him. _"Okay, let's get this fight over with!"_

Pikachu used Thundershock, which hit Starmie and finally knocked it out.

About two seconds later, the building shook and there was a ground-shaking roar.

"...that's a Gyarados," Daisy said, slowly. "Did he just manage to make..."

She glanced at her sisters. "Uh... do we run _towards_ the roars, or _away?_ "

There were shrugs.

"Don't look at me, Zubat's the closest thing I have to a useful Pokémon in this situation," Brock said with a wave of his hands.

There was another roar, and then Ash came down the stairs again with a Gyarados behind him.

"I found one that was really close to evolving!" he said, eagerly. "Hey, Misty, I think he likes you!"

Misty looked like she wasn't quite sure how to take that.

* * *

Omake: What-If

* * *

Beedrill was still out of it - his stingers hadn't taken trying to damage Onix well - and Pikachu seemed kind of loopy after the second rock to the forehead.

"Right!" Ash said, taking a step forwards.

"Ash, don't-" Misty began, starting forwards, but too late.

* * *

Flint examined the Pewter gym.

Should he go in?

No. That would be too... too much...

It wasn't something he could do any more.

But-

His musing was interrupted by a sudden observation.

There was water seeping under the fire exit door.

Flint started over to examine what was going on, and got halfway before the doors collapsed - and an Onix, a Pikachu, a loudly complaining young girl, a bedraggled Beedrill, and his eldest son all came surging out with an enormous wave of water.

That was followed by a huge blue shape, which grounded out on the pavement as he stared.

The blue thing - _Kyogre!_ \- looked puzzled for a moment, then noticed it had started raining. There was a _pop_ , and a bright pink shape was hovering there instead.

 _Uh... I think I broke the gym,_ it said. _Sorry..._

* * *

AN:

* * *

Pikachu does the same to Onix he did in canon to Geodude.

Then Brock comes with them, and the gang travel towards their destiny. (It involves a lot of exasperation with Ash.)

As for the omake, I'm going to try to do them on the what-if principle. This time, what if Ash actually _had_ gone Kyogre.


	4. Chapter 4

"Uh..." Misty said, nervously. "Gyarados?"

Gyarados looked at her, tilting his head.

"Can you use... uh, Water Pulse? Over there," Misty added, hastily.

Gyarados frowned, then turned to Ash with a quizzical look.

"I'll show-" Ash began.

"No, don't!" Misty said sharply, before Ash could change. "I'll just show him with Goldeen. Later. Um... do you know Dragon Rage?"

The big Water-type nodded, then opened his mouth - which began to glow.

"No, don't use it!" Misty protested. "That could hurt someone! Like... us?"

"Maybe I should turn into another Gyarados," Ash mused. "You know, to help teach him."

"Help teach-" Misty began, then stopped - lost for words.

 _"Probably not a good idea, Gyarados are very territorial. You'd just enrage him."  
_  
"Oh, okay," Ash said, accepting that.

"What was that?" Brock asked.

 _"_ Who _was that?"_ Pikachu added. _"A Bulbasaur? Where is he?"_

 _"Hello?"_ asked the Bulbasaur in question, walking out of the woods. _"Sorry, I was listening, and... well, I didn't want the forest set on fire..."  
_  
"Would that happen?" Ash asked, surprised. "That would be bad, I guess..."

Spearow and Pikachu exchanged glances.

 _"We're recruiting him as soon as possible,"_ the Flying-type said quietly.

 _"Agreed,"_ Pikachu nodded. _"Excuse me? Bulbasaur?"  
_  
The Grass-type looked up, and his eyes followed Pikachu as he jumped down from Ash's bag. _"Yes? Pikachu?"_

 _"I was wondering if you'd like to come with us,"_ Pikachu said, without preamble. _"You seem kind of sensible, and our trainer needs all the help he can get..."  
_  
Bulbasaur shook his head. _"Sorry, I'm not really interested. As it is I'm a lot closer to humans than I'm really comfortable with, and having one as a trainer - even one who can turn into-"  
_  
"That's okay, I'm actually not a human," Ash interrupted.

 _"...a... Pokémon?"_ Bulbasaur trailed off. _"I... huh, I thought you were just a wizard or something..."  
_  
At their surprised looks, Bulbasaur shrugged. _"I knew someone who met one once,"_ he told them. _"So, what are you? Zoroark? Ditto?"  
_  
"Mew!" said Ash, as a Mew. His hat fell past his face, and he caught it before putting it firmly back on.

 _"...and this is why we'd like your help,"_ Spearow added, indicating his floating trainer with a wing. _"He's not precisely discreet."_

 _"He's got a good heart, though,"_ Beedrill said, throwing in his two Poke. As he buzzed higher, Misty took a few steps back and behind Gyarados, which only the Water-type noticed. _"He taught me how to use Needle Arm!"  
_  
Bulbasaur blinked. _"But... uh..."  
_  
He shook his head. _"I was going to say I didn't think Beedrill could learn that, but..."  
_  
"Why shouldn't they?" Ash asked, tail flicking as he scratched his head. "I mean, their arms _are_ needles..."

After a few more seconds of contemplation, Bulbasaur thumped his forefoot on the ground. _"Okay, I can see where this is going. I'm a move collector, you show up able to teach Pokémon moves they shouldn't be able to learn, it's pretty much fate."  
_  
"Great!" Ash said, popping back to human and grinning. "Uh... what's a move collector?"

 _"I collect moves,"_ Bulbasaur said, deadpan. _"I've already got Whirlwind and Dig as well as most of the standard ones."  
_  
"Oh, cool!" Ash beamed. "What other moves would you like to know?"

There was another pop, and he was a small green fuzzy thing with grass on its back. "Seed flare? I could probably-"

 _"Later,"_ Bulbasaur told him. _"We can do it later. I don't mind waiting."_

 _"This was a great decision,"_ Spearow said, in no uncertain terms.

* * *

"Hey."

Damian ignored the voice.

"Excuse me?" the voice went on.

There was a creaking sound, and the trainer finally turned around. "What? Look, if this is about that..."

The word "Charmander" died on his lips as he stared.

Hovering there about five feet from him was a long-tailed pink thing with bright blue eyes... which looked an awful lot like a Mew.

But it couldn't be. Everyone knew Mew - besides being mythically rare - were carefree, bouncy Pokémon without a care in the world. And the one which seemed to be in front of Damian now had sharply narrowed eyes and trembling forepaws, a lashing tail, and a surprisingly menacing bright blue glow around its entire body.

There also seemed to be a backwards baseball cap.

"Yeah, it's about Charmander," the voice said, and it was obvious that it was _the Mew_ speaking. "I spoke to him."

"So?" Damian asked, trying to hide his apprehension. "He's just a-"

"You left him there to die," said the Mew, tail lashing faster.

There was another creak sound, and out of the corner of his eye Damian noticed that the ground underneath the Mew was sinking slightly.

It wasn't an earthquake. It was just a perfectly circular depression gradually deepening as he watched... and the grass around it was compressed in a radial pattern.

Two trainers came hurrying up the path, accompanied by Pokémon - including his Charmander cradled in the arms of the young man - then stopped short on seeing the confrontation.

"You're the worst trainer I've ever heard of," the Mew said, voice trembling slightly.

For a moment, Damian wondered if that meant that the Legendary was afraid.

Then it bit him between thumb and forefinger.

* * *

"Ash, what were you thinking?" Misty asked, as her friend washed his mouth out and spat again.

 _That I wanted him to never hurt another Pokémon!_ Ash replied, as he rinsed and spat again. _I hate that he'd even think of doing things like that to Pokémon!  
_  
Brock and Misty exchanged a silent glance that spoke volumes.

"I guess... sometimes people just aren't nice," Brock said, as tactfully as possible - trying to come up with a way of easing Ash into how not everyone was good and not everything worked out for the best.

Ash picked up a towel and rubbed his face, then sighed - seeming to deflate. "Yeah, I guess," he said, and transformed back to human. "I just thought that kind of stuff only happened in TV shows and stories..."

Both the Gym Leaders winced.

 _"Um... Ash?"_ the Charmander asked, in a small voice.

Ash looked up, a smile returning to his face. "Yeah?"

 _"That was kind of scary, but... it was really cool,"_ Charmander told him. _"I wish I knew how you stood up to him like that."  
_  
They could almost see the gears turning in his head.

"I know, Charmander!" Ash said. "I'll help teach you how to stand up to _anyone._ That's a promise!"

Charmander dashed forward and hugged Ash's knee. _"Thank you!"  
_  
Ash laughed. "Hey, I need that to walk... unless I can just-"

"No, no more Mew today," Misty said.

 _"She's right,"_ Bulbasaur agreed. _"Otherwise people will realize it was you who did it sooner or later."_

* * *

"...telling you!" Damian said, gesticulating. "A rabid Mew! It attacked me - I barely got away!"

"Yeah, right," one of the other boys said, rolling his eyes. "A talking, hat-wearing Legendary Pokémon attacked you. Not, say, the Charmander you abandoned on a rock. Moron."

"You know," a girl frowned. "I hope that poor thing's got a better home now."

"Why don't you believe me?" Damian asked.

"Because you told us you had fifty Pokémon, and you've only shown us a Shinx and a Growlithe?" someone said, with a laugh. "Come on, guys, it's getting lame over here."

* * *

"...seen it on TV!" Ash said. "When they need to cut something underwater - there were these divers, in suits, and they had a cutting torch and the flame worked underwater!"

Charmander nodded, eyes big. _"Wow. I didn't know humans could do such amazing things!"  
_  
"Neither did I!" Ash agreed. "Cool, isn't it? And I bet you could do it, too - that would be such a surprise to a Water-type trainer!"

A few paces behind them, Brock glanced over at Misty. "Are you okay with this?"

"I'm _resigned_ to it," Misty clarified. "We should probably be glad he's not teaching _Bulbasaur_ how to breathe fire..."

"Great idea!" Ash said, and Misty realized her mistake.

Hurrying up to come level with her scatterbrained friend, Misty gave him a look. "Ash, you're supposed to _not_ be drawing attention to yourself."

"But I'm not, Misty!" Ash protested. "I'm just helping my friends become better at fighting and fulfil their dreams!"

Charmander nodded earnestly.

Misty was lost for words for a moment, and looked at Pikachu. In a moment of shared understanding, the Electric-type shrugged - conveying the sense of _between us, we might get him to Indigo._

"At least remember not to show your Pokémon how to use the moves when there's other people around," Brock advised, from Ash's other side. "Can you please remember-"

Any further reply, however, was abruptly cut off as Misty and Brock fell into a hole.

Ash looked down and blinked, adjusting his carry of Charmander. "Why did you guys..."

"Stop levitating!" Misty hissed.

At that point, Ash realized he'd automatically started levitating.

Remembering what his Mom had told him about not levitating in public, he promptly cut it out.

There was a muffled _ow_ as he landed on Brock and Misty.

"Not that quickly," Brock said, voice a little pained.

 _"Hmmm..."_ Spearow opined, having been completely unaffected on account of being in mid-air. _"Perhaps Bulbasaur could pull you up?"  
_  
"I hope Bulbasaur can lift enough weight," Ash said, thinking seriously. "I could turn into something big and climbable?"

"What I'm more worried about is who dug the hole," Misty said, pushing Ash off her. "And no transforming!"

"Mis- _ty.._." Ash whined.

 _"There's a load of Squirtle up here,"_ Spearow added. _"I think they might have done it."  
_  
"I'll look!" Ash said. "Come on, Pikachu!"

"I said no-" Misty began, then stopped and stared as Ash jumped clear out of the hole.

"...that's new..."

* * *

The Pokéball wobbled... wobbled... and clicked.

"All right!" Misty said, picking it up. "I got a Krabby!"

 _"She_ is _crabby,"_ Spearow said, though quietly enough that no-one who could understand him heard it.

"Great work, Misty!" Ash said, impressed. "Is that your first new Pokémon in a while?"

"It's not the first I've caught," Misty shrugged, tossing the 'ball to her other hand. "I'd only just caught Goldeen before I met you."

 _"I wondered why she seemed used to land-going Water types,"_ Pikachu mused.

 _"Don't all the best Water-types go on land?"_ Squirtle asked, shrugging.

"I guess Water-type trainers have to think about that kind of thing," Ash said, with a frown. "Unless they just flood the battlefield... I wonder if a Wailord could-"

 _"Don't test it,"_ Bulbasaur warned automatically.

"A Wailord would be fun," Misty admitted. "I could pretty much fill a standard gym arena..."

"Weren't we heading to that lighthouse?" Brock asked. "Maybe we should get a move on."

* * *

"There it is!" Bill said, as the light flashed out into the fog. "It's coming - oh, I wonder what it is..."

Ash tilted his head, listening.

"Dragonite," he said, after a couple of seconds. "Really big one, and I think he's kind of sleepy..."

Bill stared at him.

"And he's asking you to turn the light off," Ash added. "It's waking him up."

"...oh," Bill said, in a small voice.

"Hold on, I'll see if he wants to chat."

Brock, Misty, Bulbasaur and Pikachu all got ready to shout at Ash, but instead of transforming he ran out the door.

Then a familiar voice came echoing through the area. _Hey! Hey, uh, Mr. Dragonite? I know you're kind of grumpy, but this guy in here just wants to chat... is that okay?  
_  
A draconic grumbling was the reply.

 _Yeah, I know, but he's nice! He was wearing a kind of silly costume when we met him, but apart from that I guess he's fine...  
_  
"How is he doing that?" Bill asked.

Bulbasaur, pragmatic as ever, switched the light off with a vine since none of the humans seemed like they were getting to it.

"He's-" Misty paused, then realized that they'd just been given a great cover story. "-psychic!"

"Oh, like Sabrina," Bill said, accepting that completely. "That makes sense."

When the Pokemaniac wasn't looking, Brock gave Misty an impressed nod.

* * *

"Wow, Bill was happy!" Ash said with a grin.

"I guess that's what happens when you get an answer to one of your biggest questions," Brock agreed. "I still can't believe he _gave_ you an Eevee, though."

The Normal-type in question wagged his tail a little uncertainly.

"Do you think you're going to evolve him?" Brock added. "Any idea what to?"

"Whatever _he_ wants," Ash said firmly. "It's his choice - I'll help you decide, okay?"

 _"I guess that'd be nice,"_ Eevee said a little shyly, tail wagging a bit faster. _"But... uh, what kind of help?"  
_  
"I'll show you what they all look like," Ash replied. "Misty, can I..."

Misty looked around, as did Brock.

"Looks like there's no-one nearby," Brock said. "Spearow? Zubat?"

Spearow fluttered down to land on a nearby branch, and nodded. _"Looks fine."  
_  
"Great!" Ash said, taking that for permission. "Hey, maybe you'd like to be a-"

Pikachu jumped clear of Ash's shoulder, by now a well-honed reflex.

"-Sylveon?" Ash continued, waving his new ribbons.

Eevee took several steps back, hackles rising for a moment. _"...what!?"_

 _"So,"_ Squirtle said, glancing at Bulbasaur. _"How long do you give it until the new guy gets used to it?"_

 _"Eh, a few days."_

* * *

AN:

* * *

No gym battle this time, but lots of new Pokémon. Including Ash seeing that not everyone's nice.

(Caution. Aim Ash away from hands.)


End file.
